Information, education,
and support often are needed before you can help someone stop drinking. The
following resources can assist you in getting help for someone who has an alcohol
use problem or help you cope with living with or caring about someone who
drinks.

Al-Anon is a group that helps families and
friends of alcoholics recover from the effects of living with the drinking
problem of a relative or friend. Al-Anon has meetings all over the world.

Alateen is a recovery program for young people affected by the
drinking problem of a friend or relative. Alateen groups are sponsored by
Al-Anon members.

Your doctor, counselor, or other health
professional can provide you with information and literature to assist you in
helping someone who has an alcohol use problem.

Local or national
alcohol treatment hotlines can direct you to local organizations that can
assist you in helping someone who has an alcohol use problem.

For more places to get help, see the Other Places to Get
help section of the topic Alcohol Abuse and Dependence.

Test Your Knowledge

You may seek advice, education, and assistance from
many sources to help someone who has an alcohol use problem to receive treatment.
These include Al-Anon, Alateen, your doctor, a counselor, a local hospital, or
an alcohol treatment hotline.

Family and close friends need support, since
they are often affected by the person's drinking. Organizations such as Al-Anon
and Alateen, along with your doctor, hospital, counselor, other health
professional, or alcohol treatment hotline, can help you by providing
information or leading you to appropriate treatment for the person who needs to
stop drinking.

Family and close friends need support, since
they are often affected by the person's drinking. Organizations such as Al-Anon
and Alateen, along with your doctor, hospital, counselor, other health
professional, or alcohol treatment hotline, can help you by providing
information or leading you to appropriate treatment for the person who needs to
stop drinking.

Sometimes family members, friends, or coworkers
recognize that a person needs help for an alcohol use problem before the person
does. This is usually because the person is in denial about drinking and does
not think treatment is needed. A person in denial might make excuses for his or
her drinking or blame other people or circumstances. People in denial
might:

Not think they have a problem with alcohol.
They might say something like, "I can handle my drinking. I have never lost a
job (been in trouble with the law, had a fight with anyone) because of
it."

Make excuses about why they drink, such as, "I have such a
stressful job. I need to have a drink in the evening to wind down and
relax."

Blame other people for their drinking: "You'd drink too, if
you had a boss like mine."

People who drink heavily over many years might develop
other health conditions as a result of drinking, along with problems with
family and work relationships and legal problems (such as being arrested for
drunk driving). Treatment can help prevent or reduce such problems.

Test Your Knowledge

A person in denial might make excuses for his or her
drinking and blame other people or circumstances.

A person in denial might make excuses for his
or her drinking and blame other people or circumstances. A person in denial
might think that alcohol is not a problem because he or she holds a job or has
never been in an accident.

A person in denial might make excuses for his
or her drinking and blame other people or circumstances. A person in denial
might think that alcohol is not a problem because he or she holds a job or has
never been in an accident.

A person with an alcohol use problem does not usually
develop any health problems related to alcohol.

People who have alcohol use problems can develop
health problems related to alcohol. They might also develop problems in other
areas of their lives, such as problems with family and work relationships.
People with alcohol dependence and other alcohol use problems might also have
social problems and legal problems, such as traffic violations or accidents, as
a result of drinking alcohol.

People who have alcohol use problems can develop
health problems related to alcohol. They might also develop problems in other
areas of their lives, such as problems with family and work relationships.
People with alcohol dependence and other alcohol use problems might also have
social problems and legal problems, such as traffic violations or accidents, as
a result of drinking alcohol.

There are many ways to help a person who has an
alcohol use problem to get treatment. Follow these steps to help both yourself
and the person with the alcohol use problem.

Educate yourself about
alcohol's effects on a person and the person's family. Learn how alcohol
affects health and how it can lead to serious
health problems. You can get information by contacting
an alcohol and drug treatment center in your area and talking with a health
professional trained in dealing with alcohol use problems.

Allow consequences. Let the person suffer the
consequences of his or her drinking behavior. Stop making excuses for the
drinking. Don't take over the person's responsibilities or cover up for him or
her. If you are having problems recognizing and changing your
enabling behaviors, talk with a health professional or
go to a support group such as Al-Anon for people affected by someone who has an
alcohol use problem. Allowing the person to suffer consequences might help the
person realize that alcohol is causing a problem.

Express your concerns. Talk with the person about your concerns regarding the
drinking problem, and tell him or her that you care. You might choose to talk
with the person during a formal intervention. This is a carefully planned
meeting in which family, friends, and coworkers try to persuade a person who
has a problem with alcohol to get treatment. Some health professionals, though,
believe that talking with a person who has an alcohol use problem without the
help of an intervention specialist might have a negative impact on everyone
involved.

Get treatment immediately. If the
person agrees to treatment, take him or her immediately. Don't wait, because
the person might decide not to go after all.

Follow through. If the person does not go to treatment, follow through with
what you told the person you would do if he or she did not get treatment. Not
all people with alcohol use problems consent to treatment after they have been
approached with the concerns of others. But this does not mean that you (and
other people involved) have failed. Your expression of concern lets the person
know how much you (and other people) care. It might help the person seek
treatment in the future.

Get help for yourself. You will receive practical advice and encouragement by
attending a support group for people who have been affected by someone's
alcohol use problem. Two such support groups are Al-Anon and Alateen. You might
also choose to speak directly with an alcohol and drug counselor for
support.

Test Your Knowledge

One of the first things to do to help a person who has
an alcohol use problem to get treatment is to stop your behaviors that enable
the person to continue drinking.

One of the first things to do to help a person
who has an alcohol use problem to get treatment is to stop enabling behaviors.
Making excuses or lying for the person, taking care of the person's personal
responsibilities, or covering up the person's drinking prevents the person from
suffering consequences and enables him or her to continue drinking.

One of the first things to do to help a person
who has an alcohol use problem get treatment is to stop enabling behaviors.
Making excuses or lying for the person, taking care of the person's personal
responsibilities, or covering up the person's drinking prevents the person from
suffering consequences and enables him or her to continue drinking.

All attempts to help a person get treatment for an
alcohol use problem work out as planned.

Not all attempts to help
a person get treatment for an alcohol use problem work out as planned. If the
person does not go to treatment, follow through with what you told the person
you would do if he or she did not get treatment. Not all people with alcohol
use problems consent to treatment after they have been approached with the
concerns of others. But this does not mean that you (and other people involved)
have failed. Your expression of concern lets the person know how much you (and
other people) care about him or her. It might help the person seek treatment in
the future.

Not all attempts to help
a person get treatment for an alcohol use problem work out as planned. If the
person does not go to treatment, follow through with what you told the person
you would do if he or she did not get treatment. Not all people with alcohol
use problems consent to treatment after they have been approached with the
concerns of others. But this does not mean that you (and other people involved)
have failed. Your expression of concern lets the person know how much you (and
other people) care about him or her. It might help the person seek treatment in
the future.

This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use.